The present invention relates generally to orthotic foot devices. Particularly, this invention relates to orthotic foot devices for bare feet. The invention also encompasses a method for stabilizing and supporting a bare foot by fastening the orthotic foot device to the foot.
In general, orthotics are appliances that provide a support or brace for the foot. Conventional orthotic foot devices are in the form of removable inserts that are placed inside a shoe. Some shoe inserts extend along only a portion of the foot, for example, from the heel to the ball of the foot. These partial inserts can provide some support, but tend to have a loose fit and often slip inside the shoe. Other shoe inserts extend along the entire length of the foot and are less likely to slip. However, these full-length inserts are bulky and can crowd the anterior portion of the shoe. Still other shoe inserts are affixed to the interior of the shoe by an adhesive such as glue. Shoe inserts can be made from a variety of materials. For example, flexible materials such as elastomers, or rigid materials such as hard plastics and rubbers can be used. Such conventional shoe inserts include, U-shaped heel pads, arch supports, cups that encompass the heel and midfoot, and rubber metatarsal pads.
The foot absorbs tremendous forces when engaging in a weight-bearing activity such as walking, running, or jumping. Typically, when a person walks or runs, the outer part of his/her heel strikes the ground first with the foot in a supinated position. As the person transfers his/her weight to the inside portion of the foot, the arch of the foot is flattened, and the foot rolls inward to a pronated position. Then a person pushes off on the ball of his/her foot, and the foot rolls outward again. These continuous stresses on the outer and inner portions of the foot can cause ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the foot to sprain or tear. Placing a conventional orthotic foot device inside the shoe helps to control motion of the foot during the gait cycle within a prescribed parameter. When running or walking, the foot and orthotic device work in synergy to control motion within the foot during the gait cycle.
Various orthotic foot devices that are designed for altering a person's gait cycle or controlling gait motion are known in the art. For example, Kendall et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,585 discloses an orthotic shoe insert having a heel portion for engaging the sides of the heel, a middle portion for engaging the medial portion of the foot, and a front portion for engaging the forefoot. The heel portion is described as being a substantially U-shaped wedge for minimizing the heel eversion component of pronation. The middle portion is also shaped as a wedge and functions to support the arch of the foot. The front portion extends to the first and second metatarsal heads of the foot and slightly elevates these joints so that there is greater control of pronation. According to the '585 Patent, the orthotic works synergistically with the design of the shoe to provide proper orientation of the foot during the gait cycle.
Friedlander et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,027 discloses an orthotic device for inserting into shoes. The orthotic includes a posted therapeutic portion and a cut-out, non-posted, non-therapeutic portion. Particularly, the orthotic comprises a U-shaped heel-supporting region, a medial arch-supporting region, and a forefoot-supporting region. The toe-receiving (forefoot) supporting region supports the metatarsal-phalangeal joint. According to the '027 Patent, each supporting region is constructed with appropriate posting to prevent excessive pronation during the gait cycle.
Although some conventional orthotic shoe inserts may provide some support and prevent some foot injuries, these devices are designed for use with shoes or sneakers. The orthotic insert works with the shoe or sneaker to control foot motion in gait. Such shoe inserts are not designed for bare foot athletes such as dancers and gymnasts. These bare foot athletes must tape their feet and ankles to provide ligament support and stability, but taping, by itself, is often insufficient. Thus, an orthotic foot device specially designed for a bare foot athlete is needed.
The bare foot athlete should be able to use such an orthotic without any other footwear such as shoes, sneakers, or the like. In addition, the orthotic should be lightweight and provide good bracing and support to the rear and midfoot aspects of the bare foot upon foot impact. Further, the orthotic should be capable of holding the foot in a neutral position and keeping the center of pressure centrally beneath the foot upon impact without concern for the gait cycle as in contrast to other orthotics.
The present invention provides such an orthotic foot device. Further, the present invention provides a method for stabilizing and supporting a bare foot by fastening the orthotic to the foot using tape or other suitable adhesive means. These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention are evident from the following description and attached figures.